The pain became unbearable for Hua Ren so he grunted and pushed the Emperor backward. Staggering, he pressed his palm to his shoulder, panting heavily. Beads of sweat trickled down his temples as he leaned against the door for support. It hurt so much.
The Emperor stumbled but quickly regained his balance, his eyes wide with shock at Hua Ren’s defiance.
"You dare—" but his voice faltered as he noticed a crimson stain spreading across Hua Ren’s white robe. His expression shifted to one of stunned disbelief as he stared at his own hand, now smeared with blood.
For a fleeting moment, silence filled the space between them.
“Damn it,” he muttered under his breath, striding toward Hua Ren. “I overreacted. I’m sorry.” His tone was softer and regretful. He reached out cautiously, but Hua Ren instinctively shuffled back, shaking his head.
“It’s okay, Your Majesty,” he said hurriedly. “I’ll take care of it.” He couldn’t risk the Emperor knowing he was the one who fought him at the auction house.
“No,” the Emperor insisted, stepping closer. “It’s the least I can do. Let me help.”
Hua Ren quickly shook his head. “I dare not trouble you with such a trivial injury, Your Majesty,” he said. He turned to leave, but the Emperor’s hand caught his wrist, pinning him firmly against the door.
“Stop being so stubborn. Just let me see it.”
Hua Ren’s hands gripped his robes tightly, his knuckles white.
The Emperor chuckled in a teasing manner when he saw the action. “What? Are you shy?” He reached to pull Hua Ren’s hands away, but Hua Ren refused to budge.
Annoyed, the Emperor frowned and directly grabbed the bloodied fabric, tearing the part away and what he saw made him freeze.
Hua Ren’s shoulder was wrapped in neat bandages. However, at the spot where the Emperor’s fingers had pressed moments ago, the bandages were stained with a dark crimson bloom.
The Emperor took a step back, his face pale with shock, his lips parted slightly but nothing came out for he didn’t even know what to say. He could only rake his brain, wondering when Hua Ren had gotten injured and then he gasped as it dawned on him.
“I-It was you?” he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper.
Hua Ren’s gaze dropped to the floor.
“You were the one who fought me,” the Emperor said, his voice a mixture of disbelief and anger. His hands trembled slightly as he clenched them into fists. “You were the one in that veiled hat on the night of the auction."
’Okay, I did not see that coming.’ The voice in the Emperor’s head spoke. ’So, what are you going to do now?’
In that moment, Hua Ren knew everything was destroyed. Now that the Emperor knew, there was no way he could remain in the Celestial Kingdom.
He instantly bolted for the door but his hand barely brushed the wood when the Emperor’s boot connected with his side in a powerful kick, sending him crashing into the table. The impact shattered the pot of tea and cups, their shards scattering across the floor as a gasp of pain escaped Hua Ren’s lips. He clutched his side, his breathing labored.
“I can’t believe this,” the Emperor said, shaking his head slowly as he walked toward Hua Ren. He crouched before Hua Ren, grabbing a fistful of his hair and yanking his head up to meet his gaze. “So it was you. And all this time, you pretended like you didn’t know anything. This is why you rejected me, isn’t it?”
Hua Ren’s trembling hand pressed against a pressure point on his chest, slightly easing the effect of the Emperor’s technique. He smacked the Emperor’s hand away and leaped back, putting a good distance between them. Sweat dripped from his brow as he assumed a fighting stance, his eyes sharp and determined.
The Emperor scoffed, his cold laughter echoing in the chamber. “Still not going to say anything?”
“There’s nothing to say,” Hua Ren replied, his voice steady despite his labored breathing. “You’ve already figured it out. I cannot marry a man who supports selling people.”
The Emperor burst into laughter, the sound sharp and bitter. “To think I defended you when everyone thought you were a rebel.”
Hua Ren said nothing, only tightening his fists, focusing on the Emperor’s movements.
“You’re not getting out of here alive, Hua Ren,” the Emperor declared, raising his hand in a gesture of challenge as he took his own stance. “Come at me with everything you’ve got.”
Without hesitation, Hua Ren charged forward, his movements swift and calculated. His first strike aimed for the Emperor’s jaw, but it was swiftly blocked. They exchanged a flurry of blows, each move sending the entire chamber shaking.
Guards, hearing the sounds, immediately surrounded at the Emperor’s chamber. Sensing them, the Emperor commanded; "Do not come in!"
Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, Hua Ren managed to land a sharp kick to the Emperor’s side, but it wasn’t enough to faze the Emperor.
The Emperor grabbed Hua Ren’s leg, raised him up and smashed him onto the ground. Hua Ren groaned, coughing out a mouthful of blood. He was breathing laboriously, coughing as he crawled to his feet. He didn’t know why but he could feel his strength waning. His sight was getting blurry.
He miscalculated a punch, leaving himself exposed and the Emperor seized the opportunity, driving his fist into Hua Ren’s midriff with crushing force.
The impact sent Hua Ren hurtling through the air, crashing into the inner chamber. He hit the ground hard, groaning as shards of wood and debris scattered around him. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he struggled to push himself up, his body trembling from the effort.
"W-What did you do to me?" He gritted, glaring at the Emperor.
The Emperor was confused for a second then he heard the voice in his head snicker; ’You’re welcome.’
For the first time in a while, the Emperor was actually happy with the entity’s decision. He never liked it when it took over his body and did things without his knowledge but for this, he was quite pleased for he knew that beating the Ivory Warlord would not have been so easy.
’When did you do it?’ He asked.
The voice chuckled. ’Before he arrived, I slipped something into his teacup. And don’t worry, this is just the first part. You’ll be thanking me again soon.’
The Emperor stepped forward, his silhouette imposing against the dim light. “Pathetic,” he spat, his voice cold. “You dared to challenge me, and this is all you have to show for it?”